William Ray Raymond Jasper, LTC, U.S. Army (Ret.)

William Raymond Jasper, 72, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, August 25, 2012. He was born on July 20, 1940, in Dallas, Texas, the son of William Dalmont Jasper and Jean Nicholson Jasper. Ray was one of three children. In his early teens, his family moved from Dallas to Ft. Worth and eventually settled in Houston. There he attended St. Thomas High School and St. Thomas University.

Upon earning his Bachelor Degree in Education, Ray was commissioned 2nd LT. U.S. Army Medical Service Corp, beginning a military career that would span twenty-four years. From 1967-68, he served with the 20th Preventive Medicine Unit in Vietnam. While assigned to 5th Army from 1969-1972, he helped develop the medical support portion of the Army’s state funeral plan for President Harry S. Truman. At that time, he applied for the Army Bootstrap Program and attended the University of the Incarnate Word to pursue a Master Degree in Secondary Education. After completing three years at the Academy of Health Sciences in San Antonio, Ray was assigned as the S-3 of the 8th Medical Battalion, 8th Infantry Division, at Bad Krueznach, Germany. One of his major accomplishments there was to serve as the operations officer in support of the U.S. contingent of military march teams (750 marchers) in the international marches held in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. After returning to the States, Ray had follow-on assignments at Ft. Hood and Ft. Benning. His last assignment was at Ft. Monroe, Virginia, where he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in July, 1990.

Following his retirement from the military, Ray began a second career as a social studies teacher at Peninsula Catholic High School in Newport News, Virginia, where he taught for six years. In 1996, he relocated to Texas and began teaching at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy. There he taught social studies and served as Social Studies Department Chair for nine years. He retired in 2005.

Ray loved family, good friends, and a fine glass of wine. He enjoyed a number of activities, including golf, baseball, and dining out. He was a voracious reader, especially of history. During his retirement years, he enjoyed traveling, researching family genealogy and hanging out with his golden retriever, Hunter.

Ray is survived by his wife, Lori Jasper; sister, Judith Irene LaLonde; children, Jacqueline Jasper Wilkinson, William Raymond Jasper, Jr., Catherine Leah Jasper, and John Hovey Jasper; stepson, Matthew Ryan Dring; seven grandchildren; numerous other relatives; and a host of friends.

The family would like to thank the kind and caring staff at Hospice Austin for providing comfort to Ray during his last few months.

A memorial service celebrating Ray’s life will be held at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, September 1, 2012, in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home. Inurnment will follow the service at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park Nature Garden with Military Honors under the auspices of the U.S. Army Honor Guard.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Ray’s memory are invited to contribute to a charity of their choice or to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759, (512)342-4700, www.hospiceaustin.org.